


Anniversary

by cassian_ronan



Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29911122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassian_ronan/pseuds/cassian_ronan
Summary: It's the anniversary of Kevin's death. Karen calls Frank.
Relationships: Frank Castle/Karen Page
Kudos: 14





	Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

> Just rewatched Daredevil season 3 and got inspired to write this. enjoy :)
> 
> content warnings: alcohol, mentions of underaged drinking, mentions of drugs, mentions of death and car accidents

The hardest time of year for Karen was the anniversary of Kevin's death. All she wanted to do was drinking, but being under the influence was what had gotten him killed in the first place. But she drank anyway. Besides, she’d feel like shit either way.

Karen wasn't the one for drunk calls, but for some reason, she called Frank. It was the last number he called her on, a burner, probably, she honestly doubted he was going to pick up, but by some miracle, he did. 

“Karen?” the familiar voice of frank said. Karen held her breath, holding back a sob. She had no idea what she was going to say. She didn't even think he would pick up. 

Karen had to release the sob eventually, and when she did she wished she hadn't called frank. She shouldn't burden him with her mistakes. 

“Karen? Are you okay?” he asked concern coating his tone.

“I-I’m fine. It’s nothing…,” she replied. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”

Karen could hear movement from the other end of the line, and then franks voice. “I’ll be there soon.” and then he hung up before Karen could protest. 

Karen dropped the phone onto her lap and scrambled for the bottle of booze and took a long sip. She coughed after the burning liquid went down her throat and then let out another sob.

It had been so long, and yet Kevin’s death still affected her like this. It felt pathetic. She felt even more pathetic when it hit her that Frank was coming here to comfort her, or whatever. 

-

Karen woke to the sound of knuckles rapidly tapping on her door. She forced her eyes open and all she could see was the blurry image of the bottle in her hand that hung off the couch. 

“Karen?” called out a voice from the other side of her door. It was frank, but Karen didn't have the will to get up and unlock the door for him. 

She let her eye droop closed again, and it felt like only seconds until the dark-haired man was by her side, prying the bottle out of her hand. 

“Hey,” Frank said, cradling his arm under her neck. “Karen, look at me.”

Karen did her best to keep her eyes open long enough to adjust to the light. She wanted to tell him to go away, but another part of her wanted the company. The second option won, mostly because she was too drowsy to protest. 

Karen did her best to shift her body into an upright position, which would have failed if it weren't for frank. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, and finally, her eyes focused on Frank's face. 

He looked good, Karen thought. His hair was a bit longer than the last time she saw him, which had been at the hotel in the elevator. It had been months since then, but they had spoken on the phone once since then. 

“Hey,” Frank said softly, pulling Karen back to the present. “Karen, what's going on? Are you okay?” 

Karen wiped the half-dried tears off her cheeks and said, “I’m fine. It's nothing.”

Frank looked over at the bottle which he had set on the coffee table behind him, and then back to her. “I sure don't look like you're fine,” he said. She would have laughed at his comment if it were any other day, but right now it was hard to even crack a smile. 

Frank's hands were rubbing circles on Karen’s shoulders. He stopped and moved one up to her face and cupped her cheek, and gently turned her head so she’d look him in the eyes. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked gently. Karen shook her head, stopped, and then nodded, but changed her mind again and shook her head. She didn't really know how she wanted to answer so she just finished with a shrug. 

Karen let out a shuddering breath and then Frank moved from his crouched position in front of Karen to the couch, sitting down next to her. 

Frank pulled her into a hug, and she cried into his shoulder. He sat there with her for who knows how long, rubbing circles into the back of her shirt. Karen eventually calmed down when she had run out of tears to cry. 

When she pulled away from Frank, he got up to get her some water to help sober her up. 

“Here,” he said, “drink.”

Karen just nodded and took the glass with a sniff. 

Frank sat down next to her again and placed a hand on her back and resumed tracing circles. She liked it actually when he did that. It felt nice and comforting.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Frank asked again, keeping his tone quiet and soft as before. Karen squeezed her eyes shut and then let out another shuddering breath and eventually nodded. 

“It's… it's the anniversary of my brother's death,” Karen said eventually, sounding quite hoarse. She took another sip of her water.   
Karen felt Frank’s circles pause for half a second, but then he resumed quickly. 

“It's stupid really,” she said and took another sip of water. “What happened. I was so stupid.”

Frank didn't say anything. Karen assumed he just wanted to listen. She was glad, mostly because she wasn't sure if she wanted to say anything. 

“When I was 19, my mom died,” Karen began. “My family ran a diner, and after she died, I was the one who kept the diner together, so I put off going to college. I had a boyfriend at the time-- his name was Todd, and we sold drugs to the students together.”

Karen felt Frank freeze up when she mentioned Todd. if it were any other day she’d probably think more about it or used her skills as a reporter to get information out of frank about it or something to play with him, but she was too exhausted. 

“My brother, Kevin, he re-enrolled me into college, and I was furious. But my dad wanted to celebrate and it led to an argument and so I called Todd and he came and picked me up and we drank and did drugs. And when we got back to Todd’s trailer, Kevin was there and he set the damn thing on fire.”

Karen paused again and drained the rest of the glass, leaned over, and set it down on the coffee table. She stayed leaning forward, twiddling her hands together as she continued. 

“Todd was pissed and so he started beating the shit out of him, I couldn't stop him so I grabbed Todd’s gun from his truck and I shot a warning shot. And when he didn't stop… I shot him in the arm and me and Kevin got the hell out of there. 

“And when we were driving away, and I was yelling at him, we drove up a side rail and we.. crashed. He was killed and it was all my fault.”

Frank’s circles stopped. 

“Don't say that,” he said. “I wasn't your fault it was an accident,”

“Yeah?” Karen challenged, “You should tell that to my dad. The sheriff covered up my involvement and my dad asked me to leave.”

Karen managed to shed a few more tears, but she wiped them away instantly. 

“Sometimes I think it should have been me who was killed in that accident. I was a drug addict good for nothing, disappointment of a daughter.”

“Hey,” Frank said, softly but firmly. “Don't you ever say that. Hey. Look at me.”

Frank brought his hands up to her cheeks again and cupped them. 

“Don't you ever say that, Karen. I’m glad you weren't the one that died in that accident, Karen. What happened to your brother was terrible, but it wasn't your fault. You hear me? You of all people will know that I understand. Yeah?”

Karen didn't believe him when he said it wasn't her fault, but she nodded anyway. Once he saw her nod, Frank pulled her into his chest again for another hug, and then once again started rubbing circles on her back. 

I’m glad you weren't the one that died, Frank's words echoed in Karen's head. He was glad. Glad that she was alive. 

The two of them hugged in comfortable silence for quite a while. Karen started to get drowsy again. God, she needed sleep. She yawned into Frank's shoulder. 

Frank seemed to read her mind and he said, “let's get you to bed.”

Karen moved so she could get to her feet, but frank wordlessly stopped her. He picked   
her up bridal style and carried her to her room. 

“Frank,” Karen protested tiredly, but she just soothingly shushed her in reply. 

He carried Karen to her room, his steps were heavy with his military boots. Frank pushed open her door with his boot, and then gently set Karen down on her bed. When he went to turn away and leave, Karen stopped him by grasping onto his hand. It was a silent ‘stay’.

Frank nodded, and sat down next to her and untied his boots and kicked them into a pile, his coat following shortly, along with his belt. 

Frank climbed into her bed next to her and wrapped his arms around Karen. Karen nuzzled into his shirt, their legs tangled together. 

“Thank you, Frank,” Karen whispered quietly. Frank hummed a reply and left a lingering kiss on her forehead.


End file.
